The Price of Loyalty
by Cure Venus
Summary: With the Encryptor Chip in the Hands of Hacker, what can the Cybersquad do to get it back? When Hacker makes a deadly deal, will the Cybersquad lose one of their own forever? Or will the price of loyalty pay well in the end? Read to discover! Please leave a review. MattxJackie, InezxSlider, DigitxDelete
1. The Bargain

_A/N_: _Hello everyone! I'm back, I guess. I had some real life tragedies though I've revised all my fanfics even though I think my friend on the Chiaki Konaka account did continue some but I'm back now :)_

**Chapter 1: The Bargain**

So close! They'd been _so close_ to getting the Encryptor Chip and healing Motherboard permanently!

But Hacker just _had_ to get in their way…again…

The villain held the Encryptor Chip in his hands and laughed mockingly, sneering at his team.

"Give it back!" Inez cried, clenching her fists as Matt and Jackie stood beside her. All three glared at Hacker, who simply laughed more.

"Ah, the sweet scent of opportunity! _I'll_ return this to _you_ for something in exchange!" he told them, pretending to survey the back of his hand.

"_Us_? What can _we_ give _you_?" Jackie queried suspiciously, frowning. She had a sinking feeling about this and it was proven right when the Borg lifted a large, green finger and pointed at Digit.

"Give me that turkey, and I'll hand over the Encryptor Chip! Consider your options _carefully_, Earth brats: your turkey friend…in exchange for Motherboard's Cure-All!"

Matt moved protectively in front of his surprised cyboid friend, extending his arms to his sides to make himself an effective shield between Digit and Hacker. He had always been the closest to the little cyboid due to them naturally sticking together. He cared too much about him to allow this to happen.

"No way, Hacker! We'll find another way!" Matt championed. He knew they were blowing a big chance to help Motherboard, but they couldn't just sacrifice Digit! He was their friend!

Which is why it surprised the Earthlies so when the 'guest of honor' spoke up. "I'll do it."

The Cybersquad did a double-take.

"Digit, you _can't_!" Inez cried desperately. Her heart was slowly cracking as if someone had taken a large sword and stuck it inside her. This was a worse pain than the pain that was gained from a battle wound. A lone tear cascaded down the young girl's cheek.

"Come on, Dige! We'll figure something out! We always do! Hacker _can't _have his way like this!" Matt proclaimed heatedly. He couldn't allow Digit to go back to Hacker, just for the Encryptor Chip, no matter how important it was. Heck, they were the Cybersquad for a _reason_! They had always done things together, always gotten through the worst kind of situations even when things were looking impossible, surely there had to be another way to do this without sacrificing someone so dear to them.

"Have faith in us, Digit! We'll get that Encryptor Chip _without _a surrender, you'll see!" Jackie supported. They had always managed to do things this way before and they were so close, so she didn't want Motherboard not to be healed but at the same time, sacrificing her friend was not an option either.

Digit sighed heavily, looking down at his feet. "I know you kids are really smart and all, but the truth is, we don't have enough _time_ to come up with another plan. The virus has put Motherboard through more than enough, and this is a chance we might not get again." He offered a small, sad smile. "Don't worry. I'll never forget you guys or Motherboard, but I have to do this. Please...don't try to stop me. Think of it as my last request." He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to leave his little safe haven of his friends and Motherboard to be at Hacker's mercy but he had no choice. If Hacker was using him as the bargaining chip, then he'd do whatever it took to help his team succeed even if it meant sacrificing himself.

"Digit...d-d-don't...—!" Motherboard attempted to say, her glitches starting up again. Digit simply looked away, unable to see her like this. When her glitches started up, it only furthered his resolve that his sacrifice really was the only way to help her

Matt clenched his fists, shutting his eyes tightly. How could he accept this? This wasn't fair! Digit did not deserve such a horrible fate. He knew the other had worked for the Hacker before but surely Hacker was planning revenge for Digit leaving him. Leaving his precious friend to such a horrible fate made him want to hit something. Was there really no other choice? It certainly seemed that Digit's words held weight in them.

Tears welled in Inez's eyes. She so desperately wanted to cry even though that wasn't like her. They couldn't lose like this even if they were gaining Motherboard's Cure-All, it wouldn't seem like a victory at all if they had to pay such a high price. She pulled Digit close, tears beginning to cascade down her cheeks as her entire body shook.

Jackie just looked down at the floor with a desperate, sorrowful expression on her face. This could _not _be happening. This was some bad, bizarre dream and she'd wake up any minute and be laughing about it with her friends. She pinched herself in the cheek and winced. The dark-skinned girl bit her lower lip. This was no dream. This was reality crushing down on their very existence. A reality that might in the end destroy them all.

Finally, Matt opened his eyes, certain to be glowering at the villain. Inez wanted to scream for her friend to stop, but Digit touched her arm and shook his head.

"It's a deal," the redhead forced himself to spit, unable to believe he was accepting. It was the last thing Matt wanted to do. If he could, he'd take his friend somewhere far away from Hacker where not even the Borg's shadow could reach them.

Hacker, silencing his innocent whistling, smirked evilly and moved forward to grab the cyboid, but at the last minute the winged creature seemed to panic, clutching closer to Inez who was still holding him. "Wait!" The Borg stopped and raised an eyebrow. Had the fool changed his mind?

"Can I have a few minutes? Please? I mean, I'm never gonna see 'em again! I have a right to say goodbye, don't I?" Digit pleaded, his voice slightly shaky. Tears prickled down his own cheeks that made Inez cry even more as she held him.

Hacker cackled briefly. "Fine! You have two minutes. Buzz, Delete, make sure they don't try to double-cross me!" With that, the green villain went outside, and his two henchmen stepped back a bit to allow the group of friends some privacy. Delete sniffled, unable to help but feel somewhat sorry for Digit. Inez hesitantly let him go and he jumped down, turning to face his friends, well-aware that he may be seeing them for the last time.

The bird cyborg opened his inner compartment, taking out Widget and handing him to Matt.

"Take care of the little guy for me. The Hacker can get pretty nasty, and I don't want him getting hurt. Plus, Widge looks just like me, which'll help you guys not miss me as much…" Digit said, ignoring both how his voice broke at the last part and Widget's protests against the decision. Widget was jumping up and down in protest.

Matt took Widget before dropping down to his knees and hugging Digit, Inez and Jackie soon joining him, all crying despite their best efforts. Buzz and Delete, observing the scene, began tearing up themselves.

"It's so sad DeeDee" Buzz wailed throwing his arms awkwardly around Delete.

"I know Buzzy" Delete wiped a tear.

"We'll miss you, Digit. Nobody can ever replace you. Here," Inez said, reaching into her pocket and taking out a whistle necklace, which she draped around Digit's neck. At his confused look, she explained, "Do you remember the time we were entering that dark, scary cave, and since you couldn't, the rest of us whistled for you so you wouldn't be afraid?" He nods. "You can think of us while you use it whenever you feel frightened." Inez gave a small smile, but couldn't help it when another tear rolled down her cheek as she looked away. She couldn't cry again as it might make Digit lose the courage he had gained to do this for Motherboard.

Hacker's jolly voice came through the door. "Only thirty seconds left!" It made the Cybersquad want to teach him a lesson although they couldn't because the ball was in his court for once.

Ignoring his own helplessness, Matt quickly took out the yoyo he always played with and gave it to Digit.

"To make sure you don't forget me," he tried to joke, though the sadness in his eyes clearly showed he was breaking inside. He just wanted to give some encouragement to the cyboid that was pretty much his best friend. He could tell Digit was scared even if he wasn't showing it.

Jackie pressed into her friend's wing a picture of the four of them.

"Keep this safe, Digit. No matter what happens with Hacker, never give up hope. Use our friendship to remember what an amazing friend you were." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she hugged Digit. The cyboid embraced all of them one last time. They held him as close as they could, not wanting to let him go. Matt whispered encouraging words in his ear to try and keep him thinking positive.

At last, their two minutes were up.

Once inside, Hacker handed Matt the Encryptor Chip, grabbed Digit, and strode triumphantly toward the exit. Inez tried to run after them, but Matt stopped her and held her when her sobs became more insistent. Inez clutched tightly onto her friend, soaking his green shirt in tears. Matt felt his own eyes become teary at that but he tried to comfort her with little courage he had left. Jackie, on her knees on the floor, was in much the same state. Would they ever see Digit again…? Matt and Inez reached out for simultaneously, albeit she pushed away their support, instead wrapping her own arms around herself, continuing to cry.

When the three had mostly composed themselves, Matt pulled away from Inez to insert the Encryptor Chip in Motherboard. The screen fizzled out, then back in minutes later, and Motherboard reappeared.

"Motherboard, how do you feel?" Inez asked, wiping the tears from her eyes and cheeks, trying to give the woman she considered a second mother a warm smile..

"Better than I've felt in _years_! Thank you, Cybermates!" the computer-woman said with a minute smile. Matt sighed, but managed a like response, trying to force himself to be happy that they had gotten some victory.

"Don't thank us, Motherboard. Digit was the one who paid the biggest price..." He peered over at a sad-looking Widget, who was searching for his partner. It wasn't right seeing one without the other just like it wasn't right seeing the Cybersquad without their fourth member.

Motherboard sighed and opened a portal for the children.

"Later, Cybermates," she bid goodbye, and in a flash of purple all three were gone.


	2. A Friend Worth Fighting For

_A/N:_Thank you for the support in the previous chapter everyone!

**Chapter Two: A Friend Worth Fighting For**

Four years passed.

The Cybersquad children had returned to their own world, and Digit remained in the Hacker's clutches. Matt, Inez and Jackie still visited to make sure all was well in Cyberspace, but the time between these stopovers continually increased as each return made their friend's absence more palpable.

* * *

**~Present Time: The Northern Frontier~**

Ever since he'd willingly sacrificed himself to save the places and people he loved, Digit's life had become a living Hell. Hacker made sure of that.

The cruel beatings were painful to watch. The Borg would repeatedly strike the cyboid with a spiked club, causing feathers and mechanical parts to fly and some blood to stream. It hurt more and more each time, and though Digit would cry out in pain and when daring even try to get away, Hacker simply upped the torture.

In truth, the bird-cyborg only got through the torment because he'd managed to make friends with Buzz and Delete, and after each beating they would secretly patch him up.

This was currently one of those times. Delete was tending to their friend's flesh-and-metal wounds while Buzz mopped up the pool of blood in which the raggedly-breathing Digit had been lying. They did so in silence, for after the first few months of beatings the cyboid had stopped talking to them and they hadn't the hearts to question him. Closing himself off from the world was his method of survival.

Now more than ever, Digit found himself missing his Earthlies. He withdrew Jackie's picture from his compartment and stared at it, a tear rolling down his cheek.

"Jackie, Matty, Nezzie…I miss you. I wish you were here…" he murmured weakly, he could hear Inez's shriek of "Don't call me Nezzie!" And smiled before drifting off to sleep.

A tickle in his throat, and Digit coughed up blood. He was feeling weaker and more helpless now than he ever had in his life. Over the years, he'd come to wholeheartedly believe that a piece of himself had been beaten out of him. The torture had emotionally and mentally crippled him. The only thing he wanted was to die. He couldn't hang on any longer.

It had only been four years, and yet so much had changed. Digit kept telling himself that he was happy he'd given his life for the greater good, that he really didn't miss his friends or Motherboard. That…that it was easier to lie to himself than to admit the truth.

_Please, someone get me out of here. I don't know how long I can keep this up. I'm afraid to feel anything anymore. I'm afraid…to _live_ anymore… _Digit thought, shaking slightly. The whistle hanging from his bloody wing jerked along with him—he would have kept the keepsake around his neck if not for the risk of it breaking during the beatings—and he could hear Inez telling him to use it when he was afraid. Cracked beak be darned, he attempted to blow, but instead hacked up more blood.

"Digit?" a voice called softly, snapping the cyboid out of his thoughts as he looked up to see his companions. Digit tried to give them a smile, but failed miserably. Buzz and Delete came forward.

"Drink this." The latter set a small bowl of water down in front of him. "Do you want something to eat? Buzzy's got some doughnuts he wouldn't mind sharing," Delete told him gently, his voice barely above a whisper.

Digit managed a nod as he drained the water like he hadn't drunk a day in these four torturous years.

* * *

**~Present Time: Earth~**

Since their adventures in Cyberspace, Matt, Inez and Jackie had grown even closer. They made sure to spend as much time as possible together, both to remember the fun times and to hope and wish for their beloved Digit's well-being.

Matt and Inez became the closest pair of the trio since they'd supported each other the most. They'd offered Jackie the same strength, but she'd tuned out her emotions to the point of being beyond help. And the duo had to admit, though they had each other, even one another's presence didn't set the heart at ease. It made the weight lighter, the knowledge of unity, but it didn't take away the pain.

Then, three months ago, the Cybersquad had stopped checking back with Cyberspace entirely. It was just too hard, knowing Digit wouldn't be there.

At this moment Matt was out on his farm, gazing up at the sky as he absentmindedly fed his chickens.

"Dige, where are you? Please be safe…" he uttered quietly. It didn't matter that anyone else would think he was talking to himself; he was desperate. He just wanted a sign—_something_ to know his best friend was still in one piece. The teen would never forget the moments Cybersquad spent together.

Matt was firm in his belief that he would see Digit again. Nothing would take that away. Four years' time may have understandably shaken his faith more than once, but he was convinced. All the same, however, he missed the bird-cyborg dearly. He still remembered how in their first adventure whenever Hacker threatened to make him pay, he'd cling to him as if he would protect him. Like that time when they had saved Solaria, Digit jumped back next to him and he'd wrapped an arm of reassurance around him to comfort him that they would never let anything happen to him but they had. They had let Hacker take him away from them. He hung his head, knowing he had broken that promise.

* * *

Inez was in Matt's kitchen, making green tea for everyone. Jackie had volunteered to help her, but ended up getting lost in thought instead. The brunette sighed, watching her best friend from the corner of her eye. Ever since Digit had been taken from them, it was like a hole had formed in all of their hearts. Despite all of them being together, it was like they were all scattered in their own separate realms of the mind.

It was so strange, how they'd won _and _lost four years ago. They'd won in the sense that Motherboard was fully cured at last, but lost in that they'd had to let the enemy walk away with a member of their team.

Digit was a part of Cybersquad: Cybersquad consisted of the _four_ of them! Without him, it felt like they were nothing more than mere individuals, like they were no longer a team! At times, it felt as if he had been the glue keeping them together. They hadn't even known each other before this crazy adventure but he had kept them together, teaching them how to work as a team.

Inez could only pray that their little friend was all right. If he wasn't...well, then Hacker would have to answer to her no matter if helped cure Motherboard or not.

Jackie thought back on their adventures in Cyberspace, the four of them always succeeding in outsmarting the Hacker... It brought tears to her eyes. When it really came down to it, all of their victories had been for naught—a cured Motherboard should _never _have cost so much! Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she angrily wiped them away. She was sick of crying and being depressed. She wanted to fix things, to bring Digit back…but she didn't know how…

Inez finally finished making the green tea when she realised she had filled _four_ cups rather than three. It was a common mistake for the brunette, seeing as she often forgot that they had really lost Digit. A liquid diamond of her own streamed down her cheek as she poured out the fourth cup and put it back in the cupboard.

Numerous scraps of movement filled her peripheral vision suddenly, and the crack in her heart deepened when she glanced over to find a tear-bathed Jackie. It was one thing to suffer oneself, but it was another to watch those surrounding suffer for the same reason and be unable to do anything about it. It was the worst feeling in the world. She did her best to push these negative thoughts aside before touching Jackie's arm, giving a minute smile, and handing her the tea-tray.

Meanwhile, Matt was reclining against the chicken coop in the process of trying to cheer up a disheartened Widget. He hated to see the little guy so sad; he was so much like Digit it was almost heartbreaking. This was yet another time when Widge was missing his best friend more than usual, and as always Matt reassured him that they'd see Digit again one day. It wasn't exactly lying because the teen was sure he was right—he just wished that time would come soon.

He heard footsteps and peered up to see Jackie and Inez coming their way. Both girls looked as if they had been crying, and Matt's heart gave a painful squeeze. He may have been the closest to Digit, but he had also been trying his hardest to be strong for the girls. He'd been triumphant for the most part, but it wasn't easy when his own heart was broken.

_We'll meet again, Dige. I know we will. And if Hacker ever hurt you, he'll have to answer to me! _Matt swore, taking a sip of his green tea and laying a hand on Inez and Jackie's shoulders, his hopeful eyes meeting theirs.

* * *

The past month had been more of a living nightmare than the last four years combined. Hacker had finally succeeded in disabling Motherboard once and for all and used his newfound power to take over Control Central unopposed.

That only meant more time for the evil mastermind to do whatever he wanted, and for Digit, that just lead to worse and more frequent beatings.

Delete, however, could feel his patience wearing thin with each beating he was forced to watch (Hacker had taken a sick delight in seeing the two cringe and squirm in observing their friend's pain). He couldn't _stand_ seeing Digit get hurt! He may have helped Hacker in putting him in a cage once before and even trapping him, but the Cyboid was so loyal that he had found a friend worth caring about in him. He had become almost as close to him as he was to Buzz.

And one day, during one of the brutal sessions, his temper and hidden good heart got the better of him. His inner gears flared up, and all at once he charged forward, pushing Digit out of the way and taking the harsh blow himself. The blow stung and he could feel a scar beginning to form but he managed not to cry out from the excruciating pain it dealt him.

Buzz gasped in shock. "Dee-Dee, what are you doing?!" he demanded, voice trembling fearfully. A wide-eyed Digit was also staring at his friend, never expecting to be defended this way. Not only that, but he was more concerned about Delete's safety than his own. He had grown numb to the beatings Hacker dealt him after all.

"D-don't...! He'll h-hurt you, t-too…!" Digit tried to warn, though the bruises on his throat made it difficult. Delete ignored his friends and turned to glare at Hacker, not caring about the painful mark the horrible Borg had made.

"You're a monster, you know that? If the Cybersquad Earthlies ever found out what you've done to their friend, they'd spare you no mercy!" Digit couldn't help but wince at the mention of his friends, though it did bring a bit of hopeful light back to his eyes. Those kids wouldn't let this go on a second longer! "I won't let you hurt Digit anymore!"

Hacker simply laughed, a leering smirk appearing on his face. "You _duncebucket_! Do you honestly think you can defeat _The_ _Hacker_?"

Delete stood his ground and responded in expressive kind. "I think I'll try my luck! After all, it's not strength or size that makes someone strong! _The Hacker _has been outsmarted by three little kids loads of times, and they're _half _his size! I'm getting Digit out of here, and you're not stopping me!"

Hacker scowled at the reminder before smirking.

"They may have beaten me any times but I won the war," Hacker said coldly. "I took away their precious 'friend' after all so in the end, I outsmarted them."

Digit flinched at that, knowing Hacker had a point but also that he hadn't outsmarted the Earthlies. They had surrendered, he had surrendered for the well-being Cyberspace. He was surprised even more when Delete defended the Earthlies for him.

"Cheating isn't the same as outsmarting!" Delete cried firmly, glowering at his 'beloved' Boss.

Without further ado, the tall robot bent down to gently gather Digit in his arms, eyes meeting those of his best friend as he walked over to Buzz.

"I'll be back for you, Buzzy, but I can't watch him hurt Digit anymore! I don't know whether this is brave or stupid, but this time I'm following my heart!" Buzz frowned at this, unsure of what to say. He didn't want to lose Delete, but he also knew his friend was absolutely right. He, too felt this had gone on long enough but didn't have as much courage as Delete to take a stand even though Digit was definitely a friend worth fighting for.

Hacker, for his part, was gaping at his minion in disbelief, and Delete used this to his advantage. Making a long jump for the supercomputer, the robot hastily pushed a button that locked the mad-Borg in a glass prison. The villain's eyes widened in shock, and he pounded on the glass furiously.

"You despicable duncebucket! You'll pay for this! Let me out of here or I'll do worse to you than I did to that birdbrain!" Hacker screamed, anger and hate burning through his words. Delete would get a worse beating than Digit had ever gotten from him in the last four years. How dare he double-crosses him?

In Delete's arms, Digit breathing slowly and raggedly. He was worried for the former lackey's safety, but he didn't dare say a word. He hated to admit it, but he wanted to escape, _had_ wanted it for a long time. Besides, once he was back with his Earthlies—the thought made his heart surge—they wouldn't hesitate to help Buzz and Delete. He knew once they knew all that Buzz and Delete had done for him in these four years, they'd put their heart and soul into helping them as well as him.

"Digit, how did Motherboard activate the portal to the human world?" Delete asked his injured friend softly, hoping the answer would be short so the poor guy wouldn't have to say much.

"Third b-utton…to le-eft…top r-ow," the cyboid managed. Following these directions, Delete found the button and pressed it, happily relieved when a portal appeared.

Delete turned to Buzz as an afterthought. "Wait five minutes to release our _beloved boss_ from his cage! The drop-off shouldn't take that long, but take it as a precaution!" Buzz nodded, still in shock from all that had occurred up till now.

Without another moment to lose, Delete jumped into the portal, yelping at how fast it was and gingerly tightening his grip on Digit. Finally, the portal deposited them on the outskirts of a farm.

* * *

Matt, Inez and Jackie were all feeding the cows when they heard a noise. They whipped around at the noise and simultaneously cried out in shock upon seeing Digit and Delete, running toward them at lightning speed.

"_Digit_!" Matt cried, unable to believe his eyes as the three went to their knees beside their friend. Exhaustion won out over adrenaline within Delete, and with the cut on his arm still dripping he flopped on his back.

Digit opened one black eye weakly and did his best to smile. "H-hey, Earthlies…! Good to s-ee ya ag-gain!"

Inez bent closer to examine him. "Digit, what did Hacker _do_ to you? What's Delete doing here? H-how did you even _get_ here?" Inez desperately wanted to know. She was so worried at Digit's condition. She had wanted to see her friend again but not like this!

Matt rested a hand on her shoulder to calm her down as Jackie ran inside to get antiseptic-wet cloths.

"Delete...c-could you…?" Digit requested wearily of his friend, who nodded immediately. The cyboid shifted his attention back to the humans. "Earthl-lies, you can…t-trust Delete! H-he's the one...w-who helped me es-scape... I-I don't h-have...enough str-rength... H-he'll expl-lain…everyt-thing…"

Matt turned to Delete just as Jackie returned with the medical supplies. Immediately noticing the gash on the robot's arm, the boy took one of the wet antiseptic cloths and wrapped it around the injury, taking another three to enfold Digit's entire body.

"What happened to Dige, Delete?" Matt asked when he was finally able to speak past the horror of seeing his friend in such bad shape. Delete sighed.

"Instead, you should ask what _didn't_ happen," Delete began, eyes fixed to the floor as he spoke. "It was awful. Hacker must have given him more than a thousand beatings over the last four years. He used a spiked club on Digit several times a day, and he never showed any mercy.

"Buzzy and I became Digit's friends, and after every beating we gave him food, water, and nursed his wounds. He'd tell us how much he missed you guys all the time. He blew into that whistle and looked at that picture of all of you constantly. He kept the yo-yo with him, too, and played with it when he was really feeling low.

"After the first few months, though, he completely shut down. Buzz and I were worried about him, but we didn't want to force him to talk, so we just went along with what he wanted.

"But today, Hacker went too far! He's been mad with power ever since he disabled Motherboard and commandeered Cyebrspace! Digit would have died if I hadn't taken that last hit for him!"

By now, Inez and Jackie had tears in their eyes.

Inez couldn't believe how cruel Hacker had turned out to be. She'd always known he was a terrible person, but never to this extent! Beating on someone like that, so harshly and without remorse…it was just too much! A tear rolled down her cheek as she gazed down at the once-cheerful cyboid, whose eyes were now devoid of any emotion at all. It scared her to see his eyes so blank and desolate.

Jackie hugged herself tightly, her frame tense. She hated herself for wishing ill-will on Motherboard earlier, for now the woman she'd always seen as a second Mother was gone as well. As for Digit...his sacrifice had been for nothing, after all…and as relieved as she was to have him back, it still seemed as if the _real _Digit had died ages ago...

Matt clenched his fists. He couldn't help but feel like he'd failed. If he'd just come up with a better plan back then, Hacker wouldn't be ruling Cyberspace and his cyboid friend wouldn't have had to go through so much pain. The teen promised himself that he would make _sure_ the mad-Borg paid for hurting Digit no matter what it took.

With these thoughts in mind, he took a deep breath and turned to smile gratefully at Delete.

"Thank you, Delete, for everything you and Buzz have done for him, and _especially_ for getting him out of that Hell. Speaking of Buzz, where is he, anyway?"

At the mention of his friend, the former henchman peered down at his feet sadly. "He stayed behind to make sure Hacker didn't come after us. I hope he's okay…"

Inez finally managed to regain most of her composure by this time and spouted off determinedly, "He will be! We'll find a way back to Cyberspace, and when we do, it'll be time for _somebody _to receive some well-deserved payback!" She was angry, no that was too short a word. She was furious.

Matt wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and Jackie wrapped her arms around both of them. All three were ready and willing to make Hacker pay, both for Digit _and_ for Cyberspace! After all, Digit was definitely a friend worth fighting for.


	3. To Mend the Broken Pieces

_A/N: _Once again, thanks for all the supportive reviews! Every review means something to me so please keep reviewing. It's part of the reason, I'm updating quicker.

_Disclaimer: _Excerpts from Dushman's song, "Chiti na koi sandes," have been translated and used for the fanfic where needed. I own nothing!

**Chapter 4: To Mend the Broken Pieces**

Matt, Inez and Jackie begged Digit to eat and drink whatever he could handle before showing him the bed they'd made up for him. The grateful cyboid gulped down a morsel and a sip here and there, and then consented to a well-deserved nap.

Though he was asleep within seconds, nightmares still haunted him. He woke up several times that night, and each time the Cybersquad asked him what it'd been about, he would fall silent with eyes as vacant as the beginning of time. He'd become the Digit none of them recognized.

When it came to be the early hours of the morning, too worried to even attempt to sleep again, Inez and Jackie went outside to clear their heads. The younger stood on her head as she was wont to do when she truly needed to concentrate, while the older paced furiously a few feet away.

A wide-awake Matt, on the other hand, chose to stay with Digit.

"Dige, don't you trust me anymore? You can talk to me, to Jackie and Inez, too. We're still a team," the boy reminded gently, trying to smile.

Digit peered up at him, his eyes as blank as ever, without saying a word. Talking hurt too much right now, and if there were one thing he didn't want any more of it was pain. As for the black holes his once-soulful eyes had become…he'd long-learned that emotions only caused trouble—look what they'd put Inez, Jackie, and Matt through all these years—and it was for this reason that he refused to let himself feel.

Matt sighed heavily. He didn't know what to do. He'd been trying to help Digit talk through the memories to allow him rest, but it was like his friend didn't even hear him. Digit's world, it seemed, no longer held a place for him.

Ever since Digit went with Hacker four years ago to protect them, he'd been lost to Cyberspace. This disgusted Matt more than anything. Some heroes they were, powerless to keep their closest friend safe! The Cybersquad, the team that had always triumphed, had been cornered by Hacker when it mattered most.

And now, only one question remained: would they ever get the _old_ Digit back? The one who laughed with them, bringing out the strangest gadgets ever to help them somehow.

_You must have sighed once_

_But we never heard it_

_You might have called us before you left_

_All the time we have this guilt_

_Where were we then?_

Though it hurt, Matt couldn't help but wonder: through all the beatings, had Digit called their names? Surely, he must have. The teenager just couldn't get over the guilt he felt. They should have been there when Digit was suffering. They should have been able to stop Hacker from taking Digit. They—they should have been _stronger_—! He should have know that Hacker would want revenge due to Digit leaving him for Motherboard before yet still he couldn't stop this from happening.

Digit's raspy stutter snapped him out of these self-loathing thoughts.

"D-Don't blame y-yourself, M-M-Matty. I b-brought this o-on myse-self. 'S my fa-fault." A shiver snaked down the bird-cyborg's spine, and Matt moved quickly over to him, picking him up in his arms.

"No, it's _our_ fault. We weren't there when you needed us." He shook his head vehemently trying to keep his own self-blame and loathing inside him as much as he could in order to help Digit better. "But I promise, Dige, he'll _pay_ for this! He'll pay for hurting you and for taking advantage of us. I..._we_ will never let him hurt you again!" He sighed heavily through his nose in an effort to relax, yet truth be told his cracking voice was indication enough of its effectiveness. "We need to know how you feel, buddy. All we want is for you to open up to us again. Be the Digit we knew."

Matt turned his head away slightly and did his best to compose himself. He was supposed to be the strong one right now, but it was so hard to see his friend so shattered. He'd imagined Hacker to be a terrible captor, but he had far exceeded expectations. Of course, seeing Hacker's actions in the past had shown how cruel he could be, like when he had Wicked cast a spell on Motherboard with the Mean Green causing her to turn Cybersites mean and green or when he released Cyberstatic into all of Cyberspace.

"The D-Digit you kn-knew...is d-d-dead." Digit wrapped his wings around himself and closed his eyes. It was clear that the conversation was over.

Very gingerly, Matt laid him down in the makeshift bed just in time for a light door-knock. As quietly as he could, he opened the door to see Inez and Jackie standing there.

"How is he?" the fourteen-year-old Inez whispered delicately, not wanting to disturb her friend. The boy sighed, raking a hand through his hear and leaning against the doorframe.

"I don't know… He won't open up at all..." He bowed his head and clenched a fist, venom dripping from his voice. "I swear, when I find Hacker, I'll _kill_ him." A teary Inez pulled Matt into a hug, and he wearily rested his head on her shoulder, unsure of what to do or say anymore. He didn't want to lose hope and he wouldn't. Digit meant too much to him but it stung inside him everytime he saw Digit so broken.

_Memories sting in my heart_

_The pain doesn't rest and the tears don't stop_

_Our love is searching for you_

_How do I say this?_

_You're not the same_

_As you used to be_

The bespectacled girl could remember so many times during their adventures when Digit would come up with amazing ideas to help them solve their missions. He'd always been so positive, always had a smile on his face and a light in his eyes. It always gave her courage that no matter how hard the problem was, they'd figure out some sort of solution.

Now, all of that was long gone…

The three jumped when the sound of a whistle came from inside the room. Venturing in to investigate, they saw Digit shaking and blowing into Inez's old whistle. This brought a teary smile to Inez's face. It wasn't much but at least it was telling them that Digit was afraid and was using the whistle she gave to communicate that.

Jackie didn't seem to get that though and walked over to him and gently pried it from his grip. "You don't need this anymore, Dige. Matt, Inez, and I can whistle so you won't be scared," she told him reassuringly, smiling wanting to show him he had nothing to be afraid of.

Wrong move.

"No! Please don't! I'm _scared_!" Digit cried suddenly, tone high-pitched and frantic. "Nezzie told me...before he took me, she told me if I'm ever afraid...I can use the whistle she gave me...! Don't take it away, _please_! Take my life...k-kill me...but _please_...!"

His behaviour was so irrational that the kids could only guess he was seeing Hacker in Jackie's place, perhaps flashing back in his hysteria. The fifteen-year-old girl stared in wide-eyed, gaping disbelief, and Matt and Inez ran forward. The youngest put it around Digit's neck, and he relaxed almost instantly.

"It's all right, Digit. He can't hurt you anymore, and Jackie, Matt, and I never will. You can _always_ keep this whistle with you, okay?" Inez soothed in a gentle voice wrapping her arms around him. The cyboid stiffened at the contact, but slowly calmed and soon fell into a deep sleep.

Jackie felt horrible. She had only wanted to tell Digit that they were all there for her but she had made him even more scared. She hung her head, tears threatening to come out.

"It's not your fault," Matt said coming besides her quietly and giving her a small smile. "He's just sensitive right now. You were just trying to help."

"Matt's right, Jackie," Inez said looking up from her spot besides Digit as Widget came besides him, curling up next to his partner. "Dige will be fine."

Widget hoped he could somehow bring comfort to his distraught partner somehow. He had attempted to help him but Digit even flinched from him. He had almost cried when he first heard that but Matt had reassured him that things would be fine.

From then on whenever Digit had a nightmare, Inez talked to him soothingly, Matt rewetted two hot rags for his forehead and neck, and Jackie reminded him that he was safe. Widget just cuddled up to him and that was comfort enough.

* * *

Over the next few days, improvement rates were agonizingly slow. Each day it seemed like it would prove harder and harder to get back the friend they'd lost. Still Matt, Inez, and Jackie made a vow to each other and to Digit that they would find a way back to Cyberspace to set things right again. Hacker had gone too far this time.

This early morning the Sun was shining brightly, and Inez was making Digit and Delete breakfast. The poor cyboid had been stuck to the robot's side like glue since they'd arrived, and truth be told, he seemed to be more comfortable around Delete than any of them. The kids had been hurt and the machine thrown by this at first, but they understood that this was best for Digit in the long run. Delete had helped Digit a lot after all.

After their friends were situated, the three teens finally sat down to Inez and Jackie's omelettes. Inez took a small bite of hers, chewing thoughtfully. Silence pervaded the small farmhouse dining area; it was clear each one of them was pondering the crisis at hand.

"Guys...I was thinking..." Inez began suddenly, causing the other two to snap up to look at her. "It's imperative that we find a way to Cyberspace." In receiving approving nods from the other two, she continued, "But if we want to restore Cyberspace to its former glory, we'll need a plan. We _can't_ mess up this time."

Frankly, Inez didn't care if she sounded paranoid or not. After all, who could blame her? They'd already failed once, and she didn't want that to happen again! The helplessness they'd all felt in losing Digit, being unable to face Cyberspace until it was too late because of it… She didn't even _want_ to begin thinking about the wasteland Hacker must have made of Cyberspace by now, not only because it was so horrible, but also because they didn't have time to waste on regret.

She felt an arm wrap around her shoulders, and she glanced up to see Matt.

"You're right, Inez. And don't worry, it _won't _happen again! We won't let it!" Matt assured her firmly, and Jackie nodded confidently. They all felt the same way of course.

Just then, the African American girl's eyes shot over to Digit, and the others' instantly followed suit to see the animal-machine trembling. Matt was the first to his side, the girls close behind. Frowning concernedly, the ginger-haired boy knelt down beside his friend.

"Dige, what happened?" Matt asked anxiously with a hint of desperation in his voice, hoping the cyboid would open up this time. The girls had repeatedly assured him that if anyone could get through to Digit, it was him.

The timid creature slowly peered up at Matt, their eyes meeting. The teen felt a chill creep up his spine; there was a plea in his friend's eyes, as if he were silently crying for help, asking the child to be the shelter that would protect him from any further harm. Without another thought, then, Matt bent down and hugged the bird-cyborg. For a full twenty seconds the creature was as stiff as a board in the boy's arms, and the human was all too prepared to let fall the hope he'd gained.

That is, until Digit completely broke down.

Only now did it settle in his mind that he was safe from the horrors he'd overcome, and all his barriers were coming down at once. All the emotions and tears that had been held back for so long bubbled to the surface in a frenzied flurry.

Seeing Digit like this was painful for all of them, but it was still a huge relief to see him open up at last. Inez and Jackie were both misty-eyed, but Matt, rubbing Digit's back gently, kept his own liquid diamonds at bay. He knew how much Digit needed his strength right now, and he wasn't about to let him down. Not again.

"Matty...? I—I t-t-told him y-you'd make h-h-him pay...f-for hurting m-m-me. You w-w-will, r-right?" Digit managed through his tears as he shook somewhat.

Inez and Jackie made to come beside them, but Matt instantly glanced their way and ever-so-slightly shook his head, and both girls backed off, understanding. The teenager grinned at Digit devotedly.

"Of _course_, Dige! You bet we'll make him pay! He'll regret all the pain he caused you!" Matt promised, and Digit smiled unsteadily.

Wanting to give the cyboid the private moment he clearly needed, the boy turned to cut up Digit's omelet for him and was about to feed him when the creature took the fork, skewered a piece of his egg, and munched on it out of nowhere. His way of composing himself without arousing more worry, no doubt. All the same the kids were content, and Inez sat down beside Matt while Jackie went inside to fetch something. Breakfast wrapped up without a hitch, Inez talking with Delete to gather more information about the new Cyberspace and Matt speaking with Digit about random nothings to make him feel more at ease.

A few minutes later, Inez was about to ask Matt if he knew what Jackie was searching for, but just then, the older girl ran outside with a stack of papers in her hand. Seeing her half-excited, half-grave countenance, however, Delete was mindful to take Matt's place in talking with Digit, partially to keep his friend's mind off of the more haunting thoughts and memories and partially to distract himself as well. After all, he still couldn't get over the fact that he'd left Buzzy behind with Hacker. He didn't want to go back and find that his friend had been hurt in some horrible manner because of his reckless actions. He hadn't really thought things through, he had just wanted Digit to be amongst those who cared about him.

Matt was however more interested in Jackie's return.

"What are these, Jacks?" Matt inquired, staring at the papers in her possession.

"Since it's easier for me to write my emotions out on paper, Slider and I have been sending letters back and forth ever since our last visit to Cyberspace," Jackie explained. "I told him our situation right now, and he's sent some info telling us how to access an emergency portal to Cyberspace." Absently, she couldn't help but wonder why Slider hadn't told her about the situation in Cyberchase and wondered if he was alright. Had Hacker gotten his hands on him too?

Matt and Inez both stared at her for a drawn-out moment before simultaneously bursting into bright beams.

"You're a _genius_, Jackie!" Inez complimented, a small spark of hope in her eyes that hadn't been present in what seemed like decades. Maybe they could do this after all. Jackie returned the smile.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We'll need to crack a code to use this portal, but luckily the information we'll need is all right here." She handed each of them several sheets, which they began reading through immediately; a few minutes in, they traded what few sheets they'd read, and Inez frowned deeply.

"There's way too much information here," Inez admitted, exasperated.

"If we could just narrow down our options…" Matt mused aloud, taking out his yoyo and beginning to play with it; no matter how old he got, it always seemed to help him think. Now, however, for the first time it didn't seem to be of any use to him. He just couldn't understand how to sift through what they needed and what they didn't. He had never been the best at organising things and now wasn't any different.

Inez flipped over to stand on her head, hoping to channel her thoughts more productively. All they needed to do was shoot down some potential tactics, but did they really have the kind of time it would take to thoroughly examine every one of these papers?

Before she could come up with an answer, though, she heard Delete sniffle and looked to her right.

"What's wrong, Delete?" she questioned worriedly. In response, the little robot sighed, not wanting to bring this up, but unable to quell the horrible feeling churning in his stomach.

"I'm worried about Buzzy. Hacker's just so cruel, and I…I can't help thinking I should have brought him, too… I was afraid Hacker would try to follow...so Buzzy…B-Buzzy stayed behind to ensure he wouldn't…" Delete voiced quietly, his eyes filled with deep sorrow and guilt. The one time he had wanted to show some bravery, and even then he'd lost his spine! He should have known he'd never be like the Cyberspace kids, heroes who were never afraid of anything. It was like fear didn't exist within them, like they were somehow protected from it.

The machine snapped out of these thoughts when Digit spoke.

"I'm sorry. All this happened because you tried to protect me..." The cyboid looked away, and Delete stared down at the ground despondently. Their aching pain could be seen in every movement, and it tore painfully at the hearts of the trio.

The youngest scowled determinedly at the helplessness of her friends.

_I won't give up, _Inez told herself. _Digit's suffered more than enough, and Delete risked his own life and Buzz's to save him. I owe it to them not to surrender._

Jackie crossed her arms, trying to think of something to say. In the end, though, it didn't matter long it took, they would figure out a solution. They may have fallen back a few steps in the battle, but in the end victory would be theirs. The right road always seemed impossible with hurdles at every turn and having to face losses that would make them want to give up, but it would all work out for the better somehow.

Matt seemed to be having similar thoughts, yet chose to express his.

"Anyone can turn around and walk away. It's the easiest thing in the world," he started, making the two look up at him. "You think it's always been easy for us, being brave? We may seem like heroes, but we're nothing but a bunch of scared kids. When Hacker took Digit and there was nothing we could do to stop it, do you really think we felt like heroes? _You're_ more of a hero than we ever were, Delete."

The android gaped at the teenager. H-him? Delete? A…a _hero_? He couldn't explain it, but a giddy feeling built up in his heart and a surge of excitement flowed through him. Of course, as worried as he was about Buzz, he had faith in the Cybersquad and felt inspired by their willingness to go on despite their shortcomings.

Turning to Digit, Matt's smile grew. "And you, Dige: we're all _so_ proud of you!" Carefully he reached out to rest a hand on the cyboid's head. "You kept your promise, taking any pain Hacker gave you," a fist clenched at his side, and his eyes narrowed and seemed to glow, "but now we're going to cause _him_ pain. He'll pay for _every_ _bit_ of emotional and physical trauma he caused you. _He's_ going to hurt as much as _he_ hurt _you_!"

No one had ever seen such rage in Matt's eyes. Inez grinned lightly, however, kneeling down at his side with a hand on his shoulder, and the boy hugged her, thankful for the release. Just behind them, Jackie realized how awkward it was now that her two best friends were so close, but said nothing and simply smiled. There were more important things to think about right now.

"But Matty...I don't know if I can ever face Cyberspace again. I have…t-too many bad memories..." Digit told him ashamedly, quivering for a moment, and the three teens frowned.

Inez pulled away from Matt and moved forward to try to reassure Digit on her own, but the other reached out for her hand and stepped up beside her instead. The brunette beamed at him, though when her heart skipped a beat she was admittedly thrown off. Why did it feel so different when _Matt_ held her hand and hugged her…? She shook her head and pushed this thought aside to focus on her friend.

"I know it's hard, Dige," Inez sympathized, "but don't worry. Matt and Delete will head to Cyberspace to bust out Buzz and hopefully get in contact with Slider, Marbles, T.W., and some of our other old friends. Once that's done, we'll need to go, too." She took his uninjured wing in her feather-light grip. "I know you're scared, but you have to trust us, Dige. We'll keep you so far away from Hacker he won't even know you're there."

Jackie strode forward now, deciding to help Inez. After all, they were all in this together.

"She's right, Dige. Besides, you _do _want Hacker to pay, don't you?" she asked delicately, and Digit sighed softly, peering up at his old friends.

"I want to...but can we? I mean, Hacker's a lot stronger now...Earthlies," Digit whispered, and the three exchanged glances, momentarily overjoyed to hear that playful nickname again. Matt smiled, feeling a new surge of hope upon hearing Digit lighten up enough to use that again.

"He might have gotten stronger, but so have we! He doesn't have power over us anymore!" the fifteen-year-old encouraged, sounding more confident than he felt.

"Realistically, though, guys, what do we do?" Inez queried, and Jackie dropped her head into her hands.

"We don't have _time_ for this!" she cried dramatically, and Matt rolled his eyes, waiting for the outburst to come. "This is it! Cyberspace is _doomed_!"

Delete and Digit blinked, the latter landing a weak smile, while Matt and Inez sighed at the girl's dramatics, though it _was_ a nice throwback to normalcy.

"Make room, guys. Gotta pace," Jackie warned, waving her hand dismissively, and when given enough room she began her work. The other two humans went back to their chosen thinking methods as well, and a long five minutes passed before Inez sighed loudly.

"I know it'll take longer," flipping upright, she straightened her glasses, "but I think the only thing we can do is read through everything. We'll use a marker to cross out what parts of the plan will work for our situation and what won't." She turned to Digit. "Dige, if you're feeling well enough to help, we could really use it." Digit gave a weak smile. "Delete, you can help, too."

Confirming nods received, the papers were distributed equally, and Jackie further explained the purpose of Slider's files. With the five of them at work, it didn't take more than half an hour to get it all sorted.

The five quickly moved into Matt's bedroom and switched on the computer. After a few minutes of messing around with some wires and keys, a pink-tinted portal appeared in the middle of the room. Everyone cheered.

Excited beyond measure, Inez hugged Matt with Jackie joining in. The brunette, for some unknown reason, felt both relieved and disappointed at this last part. Relieved because her heart wasn't beating at the speed of light (due to Jackie also being involved in the hug), and disappointed…for a reason she couldn't quite place. A few seconds passed, and Matt cracked open one eye to see if Digit had jumped in like he used to, and when he saw the cyboid hadn't, he inwardly sighed. His friend was recovering, but they still had a long way to go.

"Good luck, Matt," Jackie said softly, moving away and squeezing his shoulder, seeing the sadness in his eyes. He didn't want to be separated, but this was the best way.

"And please, be careful, okay?" Inez counselled worriedly, tightening her hold on his hand momentarily, understanding how hurt he was that Digit hadn't joined in on their hug.

Delete stepped forward to leave with Matt, then glanced back at his bird-cyborg friend. He didn't want to leave him, but at the same time he desperately wanted to help Buzz. Digit must have sensed his hesitation because he offered a tiny smile and shook his head. Inez wrapped an arm around Digit.

"Don't worry, Delete. We'll take good care of Dige," the thirteen-year-old soothed. The robot chanced a weak smile and allowed his gaze to rest on his friend for a moment more before he turned to Matt. The two jumped through the portal, not sure what to expect yet ready for the worst. What seemed an instant-eternity later, they were in Control Central.

Matt's eyes widened in shock. Apple-green vines tied up Motherboard's central operating system's major controls. As if that weren't bad enough, cyberstatic looped all around them. The waste dump this place had become made the ginger-haired boy feel sick to the stomach. Luckily, Delete's panicked voice snapped him out of these horrifying thoughts.

"_Buzzy_!" he cried, running forward. "Matt, how do we get Buzzy out?!"

The teen hurriedly followed to Buzz, who was unconscious and trapped in what seemed to be Hacker's version of a prison. The pointed, skewer-like bars depicted flame emblems, and between each a two millimetre wall of flame flickered. Matt gave an involuntary shudder, completely at loss. Hacker truly was a monster...

"I…I don't know, Delete…" Matt muttered, taking an unsteady breath in an attempt to compose himself. He hadn't thought this was going to be easy in the first place, but seeing everything like it was now shook him to the core. He felt helpless and weak, two things he hated. Maybe he couldn't keep the promise he made to Digit after all. He had failed his friend and Cyberspace once, what if he, Inez and Jackie weren't strong enough to take Hacker down now? Digit had said he had grown stronger...and they hadn't fought him for awhile.

The android frowned, seeing the look in the young teen's eyes, and moved toward him.

"Is this all it takes for you to throw in the towel? Honestly, I'm kinda disappointed. After all the stories Digit used to tell us about how brave his Earthlies were..." Delete admonished, putting his hands on his hips. Matt watched him warily. "But maybe all that really _is_ in the past! Remember what your Jackie and Inez said? Remember the promises all of you made to Digit to make Hacker pay? Were all of those just minute-long reassurances to placate us? Even before all of this started, I admired the Cybersquad from a distance…but what I'm seeing from you now makes me wonder how you ever inspired anyone at all!"

Matt stared at him, the words stirring something inside him and forming a tightly-layered frown. They _weren't_ failures, and they _could _inspire people Cyberspace over again—he just needed to pull himself together! Inez and Jackie's desperate faces formed in his mind's eye; he could see Digit pleading with them to make Hacker pay; and he remembered his own words—_"Anyone can turn around and walk away. It's the easiest solution."_

He _was_ taking the easy way out, wasn't he? Yes, things were different now. They were harder. But since when had that stopped them?

He was going to do this—_they _were going to do this. They would save Motherboard like they always had. Ultimately, they would find a way to make things right again.

He looked down at Delete and nodded decisively, eyes ablaze.

The road to victory was never easy, but that didn't mean it was impossible. Somehow, they'd find a way even if it took the long road.


	4. Thinner than Ice

_A/N: __Everyone once again, thank you for the reviews. Don't worry, things will get better for our heroes eventually. Thanks to NeoMiniTails for betareading this chapter._

**Chapter 4: Thinner than Ice**

While Matt and Delete had headed to Cyberspace, the girls had chosen to stay back with Digit as he was still afraid. The metal bird, however, was very uneasy and jumpy, worried most about his two dearest friends. Delete had become very close to him in the time they had spent together, and he hoped both he and Buzz were alright along with his best friend.

He and Matt had always been the closest pair in the Cybersquad, and even though he wasn't able to open up to him as well as he used to now, he still hoped he was doing alright.

"Everything will be okay, Dige," Inez consoled her cyboid friend gently, shoving aside her own worries about Matt and, unsurprisingly, Buzz and Delete, as well. After all, it was thanks to Delete that Digit was once again amongst them and for that, she was grateful.

If he hadn't taken a stand for Digit like that, they might have never found out what was happening.

"You don't know him, Inez, Jackie," Digit said in such a soft voice that the girls had to strain to hear him. It was clear he was talking about Hacker. "He's a lot more cruel than we ever thought him to be... he even tried to torture me into gaining information on Motherboard, but I blew into your whistle, Nezzie, even... though I was so scared, it gave me strength."

His mind involuntarily went back there as he crawled back into his skin, feeling every hit like it was done in real time; the fear was still there, threatening to take over his soul, the agony of not knowing. He could only hope that his friends were safe and that they would never experience what he did.

He shuddered once more, shaking as he recalled the beatings that were given to him. They scared him so much that he ended up whistling after each of the beatings he took to give himself the courage to get back onto his feet.

Inez felt her heart clench so painfully that her eyes watered with tears. She blinked them back, not even having heart enough to scold Digit for calling her 'Nezzie,' something which usually grated her nerves. She had always felt Hacker was cruel beyond words, but this was too much. He had fallen to a new low, and for once, the young brunette was glad Matt wasn't here.

It felt like someone had stabbed her in the chest, hearing this story; this pain, she imagined, must've been worse for Matt, considering their closeness. Bending down, the youngest embraced Digit, holding him close.

"I'm glad it helped you, Dige," Inez said, managing to hold back tears, knowing that she needed to be strong for their bird-like friend.

Jackie felt her heart go out to both Inez and Digit but was managing to keep her emotions at bay. Usually, she'd have a dramatic outburst but seeing Inez almost break down, she knew now wasn't the time; she had to be the strong one. She knelt down beside both her friends, pulling them close.

"It's his time to be scared now, Dige," Jackie stated firmly, sounding more confident than she felt about things. "But he won't have anyone to give him the strength to get back on his feet when we're through with him!"

Inez found the strength and hope she needed in her best friend's words.

While Digit's suffering upset her, getting depressed wouldn't do them any good. They needed to rebel against Hacker's evil reign on Cyberspace, save Motherboard and restore her to her former self. They needed to make Hacker pay for all the suffering he had caused Digit to go through.

She managed a nod, showing her agreement and noticed that her friend had relaxed into the hug. This was amazing progress! It meant he was finally calming down around them and feeling comfortable around them again. The thought warmed Inez's heart and somehow she knew things would get better eventually no matter how long it took.

* * *

Matt and Delete managed to free Buzz by adding in a few security codes, which was basically adding and multiplying even numbers. Luckily, Matt still had his Squack-Pad on him, and it helped to solve the problem a lot quicker by laying it out visually.

They had Buzz out of his prison within fifteen minutes. Unfortunately, he wasn't as grateful as Delete had expected him to be.

"Buzzy, I'm so glad you're okay!" Delete said happily reaching to hug him however Buzz pushed him away. The smile on Delete's face turned into a frown of confusion as he looked at his best friend.

"You're such an idiot, Delete!" Buzz said, harsher than Delete had ever heard him. "Helping Digit has caused us nothing but trouble. We were naive to think we could stand up to the boss. We can't so let's just give him Digit and save ourselves."

Delete couldn't believe it. Digit had become a dear friend to them both over the years hadn't he? He didn't understand how Buzz could be willing to give up on him like that. He may have not known much about friendship, but he definitely had learnt a thing or two from Digit. The way he had held on for the sake of his three Earth friends was proof enough and their happiness at getting him back.

"How can you suggest that?" Delete asked, flabbergasted. "Digit is our friend! I won't let him suffer any more, Buzzy! He's been through more than anyone should ever have to go through!"

Buzz frowned, a small part of him cared about Digit but he cared about himself and Delete a lot more than that. Hacker was a dangerous force to be reckoned with and he didn't want to help Digit if it meant getting himself hurt in the process.

"He may be a friend," Buzz said, trying to think of how to phrase it, but realizing there was no way to water it down, he continued. "he isn't worth sacrificing ourselves over." His eyes were dark, his lips set on a grim thin line as he pointed at Matt to get his point across.

The red-headed boy's face went from shock to defensiveness almost instantly.

Buzz was on a roll and unfortunately, he wasn't finished "I bet even he would give up Digit for his own gain. He didn't even try hard to change Digit's decision to give himself up to the boss, did he?"

His voice softened as he looked away and said, "Are you going to help me that cybird or am I on my own here?" He knew his thinking was wrong, but at the same time, it seemed so right. It was a horrible idea, but it wasn't worse than the thought of losing his friends.

Delete's expression turned downcast and doubt filled his gaze. That was true, the Earth children hadn't fought too hard against Digit's decision, but it wasn't really to save themselves. They had made that sacrifice to save Motherboard, hadn't they?

Still, it had still been selfish on their part considering all Digit had to suffer because of it. He glanced at Matt.

Matt looked alarmed that Delete would even consider that as his fists clenched at his sides.

"I would never give Digit up for my own gain!" Matt snapped defensively. "He's my best friend! I never wanted him to surrender to Hacker and if I could make that day repeat itself, I would've forced Digit to stop." They could never know how much that day affected the young red-headed boy and how often he closed his eyes, it repeated like a broken record and everytime, he wished that he could have said one more thing or tried just one more thing before being so willing to put his friend's life in danger.

He spoke from his heart, in hope that they could understand and words he never thought he would say aloud, "Dige means a lot to me, Inez and Jackie. I know we failed him back, then but that's a mistake we'll never repeat! It was a mistake that I've regretted since the day I made. I just wanted to respect Digit's wishes and last request as he asked of us but I haven't forgiven myself since then. Delete, a true friend may not give up one of his friends but he also tries to do what their friend wants." He hung his head, the day that Digit had went with Hacker, replaying inside his head like a film without sound. He didn't want to cry as that would show weakness, but why didn't they understand he never wanted that and he was horrified at the fact that Buzz would sacrifice Digit to save his own skin and technically Delete's as well?

He suddenly felt Delete's fingers wrap around his hand.

"I believe you, Matt," Delete said softly. "I don't want Digit to go through anymore pain. I want to protect him for everything. Buzzy..." He turned back to his best friend, his eyes pleading silently, asking him not to leave his side. He didn't want the two of them stuck at two ends of a spectrum, it just didn't seem fair. They had been through so much together, between working for the Hacker to even sneaking behind his back when they didn't approve of something he did or when they just wanted to have some fun. "Let's help Digit. He's our friend too, we always helped him after the beatings, and I know he means something to you too."

Buzz turned his body away from Delete, not wanting to look into the other's pleading eyes and be persuaded by them. He couldn't do this anymore. He had almost died trying to protect Digit. They weren't even friends, they had just been brought together by the circumstances of the occasion. Delete did mean a lot to him but he couldn't support his own friend in something that was much too life-threatening.

"I'm sorry DeeDee," Buzz said honestly sounding sorry. "But I'm going back to our old boss."

The borg turned around, beginning to walk away knowing if he listened to Delete now, it'd only end in failure. He could hear Delete's wails and cries, his attempts to grab him but he pulled away, walking out of Control Central.

"Buzzy! BUZZY!" Delete screamed, trying to grab his best friend. His heart felt like it was breaking into a million pieces as Buzz just turned around and left. Memories blinded his vision and tears threatened to pour out of his eyes. How could his best friend just do this to him? It was like all the time they spent together, all the moments they shared, didn't matter at all. As the sliding door to Control Central shut behind Buzz, Delete felt his legs weaken and he sunk to the ground.

No... this couldn't have happened. Buzz, his best friend and dearest companion had turned his back on him without a second thought.

"Delete..." Matt's heart broke for the little Borg and wished he could do something to make the other's pain less, but he didn't know how nor did he understand how Buzz could abandon his own friend like that. It seemed the friendship he had shared with Digit wasn't enough to treasure the little bird-something which Matt couldn't wrap around his head. How could anyone want to hurt Digit after all he'd done for Cyberspace?

Sure, Hacker had cheated once again to get his way, but he wouldn't have hold over Cyberspace for much longer; he would make sure of that.

"Matt?" Delete asked, snapping Matt out of his thoughts causing the boy to look over at him. "I don't understand... Digit was always so loyal to you guys even... though you weren't there when H-Hacker was beating him...why isn't Buzzy..." He hung his head, unwilling to move not sure what to say or do. It was too hard to even think about not ever spending time with Buzz anymore.

A part of him wondered if Buzz jealous again, like he had when Delete was paying more attention to Gigabyte rather than him. Maybe he felt he was choosing Digit over everything, but he couldn't help him. Digit had come to be quite dear to him and he couldn't abandon him now matter what it took.

"I don't know Delete," Matt admitted, unsure of how to guide Delete in something he himself was unsure about. "Dige's always been really loyal to us, and the four of us have been through some rough patches together so I guess that helps. But I guess friendship is kinda tricky at times. But don't worry, we'll fix things, I promise. Thanks for defending Digit back there, I'm sure he'll appreciate it." The redhead smiled at the borg, wishing he could do more but comforting wasn't really his forte.

He managed to give Digit strength but that was only because they were the closest. He wondered how his friend was doing back there but decided to focus on Delete for now. After all, Digit wouldn't want the one borg who had helped him keep his sanity to be feeling hurt over this.

"Alright," Delete said trying to compose himself and managed to stop the tears that had begun cascading down his cheeks. He couldn't afford to give up now. He had taken a stand for Digit and he'd stick by his friend no matter what. "Let's go find your friends, Matt. We'll need all the help we can get."

Matt smiled slightly. Although he was concerned about Delete, he knew the borg was stronger than he let on. If he hadn't been, then he wouldn't have the courage to take such a stand for Digit and get him out of that hellhole he was staying in. He nodded in agreement although wondered how they were going to get there. He voiced this out loud, and Delete smiled.

"Don't worry, I have this bike I used to take Digit out sometimes," Delete assured Matt. "Hacker would turn up the temperature in the Wreaker and Digit would begin to suffocate so I'd sneak him out on a bike so he could get some fresh air and then get him back before the boss err,... I mean, Hacker noticed it."

Matt was astonished. Delete was a lot braver than he had ever thought him to be. Not only had he helped Digit escape, but he had tried his all to make Digit's life with Hacker as pleasant as he could.

It made him feel guilty once more for not being there for his friend. It should be him doing all that for Digit, not Delete. It should have been him protecting Digit from Hacker's evil reign. Hacker had a lot to pay for and the Cybersquad would make sure he paid for all the crimes he had committed. However, he didn't let Delete see the emotions on his face and simply nodded in agreement. The two of them then headed to Radapolis.

Upon arriving in Radapolis, more of Hacker's chaos was seen all around them. It didn't take them long to find Slider's garage although it was a mess with the skater being unconscious. Matt's eyes widened in alarm, and he knew Inez and Jackie would be extremely worried about him and he was, too. He rushed over to the other, shaking him gently.

"Sly, wake up," Matt said trying to rouse him to consciousness albeit he didn't stir. He wondered how badly injured the other was and hoped this was simply the result of an attack on the garage and not something to do with magnetite as he knew how badly Slider and his father reacted to that. He saw Delete get some water and flick it on Slider's face causing the other to stir slightly and open his eyes.

"Hey," Slider said weakly in an attempt to sit up although he almost fell back down causing Matt to reach over and catch him in his arms. "Thanks, Matt. What are you doing here though? Motherboard couldn't have sent you since she's been disabled so how...?"

Matt beamed at Slider, steadying him and sending him a small smile.

"Your instructions to Jackie for an emergency portal," Matt reminded him. "By the way, thanks for talking to her. She's better at expressing her emotions in a written way even though I wish I could have done more for her." He had taken on a big brother role for Inez, trying to cheer her up and take care of her. He hated to see tears in her eyes because she was the youngest and quite dear to him. However, he felt helpless when it came to Jackie. She had outright stated that she wanted him to be there for Inez, insisting she was fine. There was one only time that she allowed him to support her and that was when she was breaking down, but other than that, it had just been him and Inez.

"No big," Slider said with a shrug, glad the emergency portal instructions had come in handy. "She was just writing her emotions at first, not really a letter, but I managed to receive it through the constant glitches in Motherboard's systems and told her that either of you guys could write to me about how you were feeling. How's Nezzie been doing?" He didn't want to admit but he had a rather soft spot for Inez. She was always so bright and full of life.

While he was also concerned for Jackie, he was trying his best to help her but he hadn't heard anything from Inez and that worried him.

"She's fine," Matt said, jealousy seeping inside him. He didn't know how good Slider was for Inez considering he seemed to be "the flirty type," at times. He knew Inez liked him a lot as she had once confessed to him in all their talks and times spent together. At first, he had been jealous of Inez liking Slider but being away from Cyberspace and spending all that time with Inez alone had made him realise his feelings for her were purely platonic at least for the time being.

However, all that was not important right now. "Look Sly, we can catch up later. Right now, you need to catch me up on what's been happening. I mean, Delete only knows the inside story and Dige's too scared to come back to Cyberspace."

Slider frowned. He didn't know how much he could help but he began explaining. There had been attacks all through Cyberspace ever since Motherboard had been disabled. Hacker had declared himself "King of all Cyberspace" and even put up flags in every Cybersite. Anyone who opposed was tortured or banished from Cyberspace.

Even Slider hadn't been able to see his own father before he was exiled. In short, things were going downhill fast.

"What about Dr. Marbles?" Matt wondered, a sinking feeling in his stomach as he heard how bad things were here. Motherboard, being disabled, was the worst part of it. Maybe if they could get Motherboard back somehow, things would start to fall into place.

After all, even the Cybersquad needed guidance. Not to mention, he wondered if Digit would ever want to come back to this place, after all the pain it caused him. But he wouldn't abandon Motherboard, that much Matt knew.

"He's been banished too," Slider said grimly. "Listen Matt, what can I do? If the Cybersquad is coming back, I want to help you guys the best I can. If I ever want to see my home restored to its former glory, we need Motherboard back." His expression was set and determined, even though he was weakened from the attack.

He had to help his friends, he had to help Inez, Jackie and Matt. Even Digit, who had done so much for Cyberspace.

Matt smiled.

"Well, for now we're just gathering old friends to help us," Matt admitted. "Once we have enough of us, Jackie, Inez and Digit will join us. Why don't you help us? We're headed to Tikiville now." He looked over at Delete who caught his look and pressed a button on the bike causing it to extend to have enough room for two more.

"Right," Slider said, nodding, taking a helmet and hopping on. Matt and Delete followed and the three rode off. It was still a long road, but, at least, they had gotten somewhere.


End file.
